Computing devices often lack configuration parameters necessary for establishing wireless connections. Newly issued, reset, or reconfigured wireless-capable devices (hereafter “devices”) may lack configuration settings needed for use of a wireless protocol such as an IEEE 802.11 protocol. Configuration settings for a wireless protocol are sometimes absent or are inapplicable to any nearby wireless access points. In this common case, a user must manually configure the device. Manual configuration usually requires a user to input to the wireless device information about a wireless network or access point with which wireless connectivity is desired. However, manually configuring a device for establishing a wireless connection can have disadvantages and limits. Some unconfigured devices, such as sensors embedded in a structure, are difficult to physically access. Some devices have unwieldy and unintuitive input means. In addition, errors can occur during manual entry of configuration parameters; incorrect or mis-entered configuration parameters are common and can be difficult to identify when wireless connectivity is not established.
Techniques discussed below may help to address some of these configuration issues by using secondary wireless protocols to configure devices to connect to networks or access points using primary wireless protocols.